Lawrence Joseph Hamilton was born on November 9, 1917, in Fredericktown, Washington County, Kentucky. He was the son of Charles Walter Hamilton and Regina Cecilia O'Bryan Hamilton.

Lawrence served in the 780th Bomber Squadron, 465th Bomber Group, as a Staff Sergeant and Gunner on the B-24 "Sugar Baby" #42-52498 during World War II.

On August 3, 1944, his crew took off from Pantanella, Italy, on a bombing mission over Friedrichshafen, Germany. On their return, they were attacked and shot down by German aircraft. His aircraft crashed at Ehrwald, Tyrol, Austria. He is commemorated on a plaque in Ehrwald, but his place of crash inscribed is at Brendlkar.

SSgt Hamilton is now buried in the Calvary Cemetery, Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky, USA.

Source of information: www.findagrave.com, www.tracesofwar.com